2005 Bodegas Muga Aro Rioja

Glass-staining purple. Jaw-droppingly perfumed bouquet of candied cherry, blackcurrant, pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, minerals and Asian spices. There's a seductively mineral-driven quality to the vibrant fruit that reminded me of Chateau Ausone. Sweet cassis and blackberry flavors overwhelm the palate and pick up candied flowers, cinnamon and mocha with time in the glass. As lush and creamy as this wine is, there is excellent mineral spine to add focus to the endlessly sweet, spicy finish. If I could find or afford this, I'd be all over it. There were just 250 cases made of this wine, which is a selection from the property's oldest vines.